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Monday, July 31, 2017

Joining a sorority is not for everybody, but I highly recommend that everyone goes through sorority recruitment. Also, not every sorority is right for every girl. You have to find the one that fits your personality. When I went through recruitment, I researched (in depth!!) each sorority. I also asked around to see what people knew about them nationally.

I went through recruitment the first semester of my freshman year. I grew up hearing all of my dad's hilarious fraternity stories, so I knew well before starting college that I wanted to join a sorority. I also was friends with a lady who was a greek advisor, so she was able to give me a lot of tips on recruitment. Her biggest one was: keep an open mind! She said do not go in with any judgments. Definitely, do not make a decision before going through recruitment. Even though you should research each sorority, don't always trust what social media shows you. Remember, they will be putting their best foot forward, and it's usually not an accurate description of the sorority.

Also, just because you are a legacy does not mean that you have to join that sorority. You may find one that is a better fit, or just decide that sorority life isn't for you. One of my sisters was a Phi Mu legacy, but found that she felt more at home with us.

Some hints to help you prepare:

It is helpful to have letters of recommendation, although it is not required. Usually letters of recommendations will get you an invite to the second night, but they don't get you much farther than that.

I planned out my outfits well in advance (I'll be posting an outfit guide soon!) Each night gets dressier as the week goes on. So, for example, on my first night I wore a dressed up outfit with shorts, but on the last night, I wore a nicer dress.

Use this time to meet girls who are going through recruitment with you!!! I met my very best friend because of recruitment, and many other girls. Everybody is nervous, so it helps to do it with friends.

Sororities will be looking you up on social media if you have registered for recruitment. I would keep this in mind when I post.

Talk to as many girls in each sorority as possible! When they are deciding who to invite back or not, it will help a ton if a lot of girls remember having a conversation with you. They should be good about taking you around to meet different girls in the house, but it's a good tip to remember.

Things to Bring:I highly recommend bringing some sort of tote with you. I like to be prepared for anything and during recruitment, you are not really sure what to expect.

Water and food: It is very important that you stay hydrated. I'd bring a refillable water bottle and some sort of snack. Some of my favorite snack are Larabars, Luna Bars, nuts, or fruit. Some of the sororities may provide snacks and drinks, but I wouldn't rely on that.

A Book/Homework: When I went through recruitment our Pi Chi's played cheesy sorority movies for us between rounds, however it is different at every school. A book or homework will keep you from getting bored between rounds, which can sometimes be long.

Jacket or Umbrella: This one is pretty self-explanatory. You never know what the weather will be.

Notebook: This is really useful to help remember names of girls, impressions on different sororities, etc. Trust me, you will forget stuff and this helps a ton!

Night Summaries:

I'll add a link here with details on outfit ideas, however here is a summary to start you off:

During recruitment, each night is dressier than the last, with preference night being the most dressy. Absolutely do not dress a certain way, because you feel that is what the sorority you like is looking for. You want to fit in with the sorority you choose, so dress like yourself.

Night One: My first night I wore a nice top and shorts, and did my hair and makeup. I wore sandals this night, not heels. There were a variety of outfits including dresses and rompers, but for the most part no one was super dressed up. Conversation is very surface level. Mainly, it's just about school, extra-curricular activities, etc. Fair warning the sororities usually greet you with loud singing this night. It surprised me when I went in, but now it's one of my favorite parts of recruitment.

Night Two: My second night I wore an off the shoulder dress that I got when I graduated high school. I wore nice sandals this night too. This is usually philanthropy night. This means you get to see what charities the sororities are involved in. We always play this beautiful video about ours and I cry every time.

Night Three: My third night, I wore a dress I got as a gift from my grandma from a boutique. I did wear heels this night. The dress was comfy, but nice. Questions are a little more serious, but just be yourself.

Night Four: My fourth night, which was pref night for us, I wore one of my favorite Lilly Pulitzer dresses and a pair of heels. On pref night a lot of the sororities have a ceremony and wear either black or white, and may ask that you don't wear either of those colors. My sororities president at the time actually rushed me this night. We talked about very personal stuff, and it was this night I knew what sorority which I wanted.

How the Choosing Process Works:

It is different for each sorority, however, choosing a sorority is a mutual process. They vote each night whether to invite you back or not. It isn't based on how you look or what you wore. They base it on conversations they had with you each night. That is why it's so important to talk to a lot of people.

On pref night, you will rank each sorority, and they will be ranking all of you. This is how it is mutual. They try to match up girls and sororities who are 1st or high up (depending on the situation) on each other's lists. Then, you will be extended a bid. You do not have to accept if you didn't get into the sorority you wanted, however it doesn't hurt to try them out. You may actually find that you fall in love with them.

Depending upon the school/sorority, there may be rules where you cannot rush again if you accept a bid, until a certain amount of time has passed. I think at my school, you could not rush again, if you accepted a bid, then dropped, for 12 months. This is just something to be aware of.

Ending Notes:Recruitment is supposed to be fun, so don't stress and just be yourself! You will meet girls from all over the place, so use this as an opportunity to make new friends. I met my best friend through recruitment and it was one of the best decisions I've ever made!

Wednesday, July 12, 2017

Hey guys! I just wanted to fill you all in on some exciting new updates with Pretty as a Peony.
First off, I now have a Facebook page here: Pretty as a Peony Facebook
Be sure to check it out and follow for life updates, recent posts, and other fun stuff!

In addition to creating a Facebook page, I have added a new page to my Tumblr as well. It features all of my photos that I post. You can find that here: Pretty as a Peony Tumblr

Lastly, I am working on some exciting new collaborations and outfit photoshoots, so I hope you are all excited and I can't wait to share with you guys! I am also working on an artwork page to feature my drawings. Not many people know this, but I actually draw A LOT and I want to share it with you.

Monday, July 10, 2017

This Sunday I visited Fort Pulaski with my dad. I love going on daddy/daughter dates. I also love national and state parks (they are one of my favorite things to see) so, it was wonderful to combine the two! There is always so much history and they are always incredibly beautiful. I wore this while we were visiting and it was perfect for the weather! I hope everyone else had a fun weekend!

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